.htaccess rewrite conditions for https:// pre tag subdomains

Question

I need some extra code in my .htaccess file that configures this HTTP request for HTTPS too!

<ifmodule mod_rewrite.c>

RewriteEngine on
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^(.*)\.example\.com
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI}/sponsor/%1/$1 [L,NC,QSA]

Options +FollowSymlinks
</ifmodule>

My problem: now it gets the /sponsor tag only if I type the example with http:

GOOD:

• This is working: http://subdomain.example.com results in http://subdomain.example.com/sponsor/subdomain.

BAD:

• This isn't working: https://subdomain.example.com results in https://subdomain.example.com/.

I need a .htaccess rewrite, that automatically puts the /sponsor TAG into the HTTPS URLs too.

UPDATE: Here is my .htaccess file:

# BEGIN WordPress
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
Options +FollowSymlinks
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^(.*)\.example\.com [OR,NC]
RewriteCond https://%{HTTPS_HOST} ^(.*)\.example\.com [NC]
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI}/sponsor/%1/$1 [L,NC,QSA]

Options +FollowSymlinks
RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /
RewriteRule ^index\.php$ - [L]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule . /index.php [L]
</IfModule>
# END WordPress

Answer 1

RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^(.*)\.example\.com [OR,NC]
RewriteCond https://%{HTTPS_HOST} ^(.*)\.example\.com [NC]
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI}/sponsor/%1/$1 [L,NC,QSA]

Slightly different to the directives you posted initially, however, the second condition will never match, so the result is the same.

But as stated in my comment, this will result in a "redirect loop" and could not possibly result in either of the redirect responses you state in the question ("good" or "bad"). So, either you are seeing a cached response or .htaccess (or mod_rewrite) is not enabled and WordPress itself is performing this redirect?! (Although presumably, you do have WordPress "pretty" URLs enabled?)

Note that your RewriteRule substitution string is duplicating the URL-path, both at the front of the URL-path (%{REQUEST_URI}) and at the end (with the $1 backreference) - so this would also break on anything other than the document root (which is all you seem to be testing in your question).

Also, you should never add your own directives to the WordPress code block - otherwise WordPress will "try" to overwrite your code when it updates.

You should add your own directives before the # BEGIN WordPress section.

To perform the required redirect you would need something like the following instead:

RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^([^.]+)\.example\.com [NC]
RewriteRule !^sponsor/ https://%{HTTP_HOST}/sponsor/%1%{REQUEST_URI} [R,L]

UPDATE: Remove the trailing $ on the RewriteRule pattern. ie. What was !^sponsor/$ should be !^sponsor/ (as above).

Note that the above will also catch the www subdomain, if that is enabled. If you only have the one domain (ie. example.com) then you can simplify the condition to read:

RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^([^.]+)\.

In summary, with all code in place:

Options +FollowSymlinks

RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^([^.]+)\.
RewriteRule !^sponsor/ https://%{HTTP_HOST}/sponsor/%1%{REQUEST_URI} [R,L]

# BEGIN WordPress
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /
RewriteRule ^index\.php$ - [L]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule . /index.php [L]
</IfModule>
# END WordPress

There is no need to repeat the RewriteEngine directive.

Make sure you clear your browser cache before testing.